Manchester United fixtures: Rangnick says it may be good that players now have a long break

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Manchester United are out of the Champions League and now do not have a game until April 2, more than two weeks.

United were due to play Liverpool this weekend at Anfield, and perhaps mercifully, that has been postponed as they have a FA Cup fixture.

Several of United’s players will head off on international duty, with Cristiano Ronaldo and Bruno Fernandes among those involved in the World Cup play-offs, while others have friendlies to play.

Speaking about the break, Rangnick was reflective and said the break may do his ‘frustrated’ players some good.

He told the club website: “Well, I would say, on one hand, I think it’s not so bad that the players are on international duty. Maybe it can help them to overcome the frustration they feel right now.

“And then we’ll see each other in one-and-a-half weeks with those players not on international duty in for a normal week and hopefully training, most of them, in preparation for the Leicester game.”

Fixtures

• Leicester City (H) April 2
• Everton (A) April 9
• Norwich (H) April 16
• Liverpool (A) April 19
• Arsenal (A) April 23
• Brentford (H) May 2
• Brighton (A) May 7
• Chelsea (H) May 15
• Crystal Palace (A) May 22

Rangnick knows it is going to be tough, and added, without much conviction and more out of blind hope than belief: “We have to win six, if not seven, of the games and win away at Arsenal.

“It’s not an easy thing to achieve, at the end, but we will try hard and our very best to finish fourth at the end of the season.”

It’s probably good we won’t see the players for a week or two. Supporters can clear their heads too. Saturday’s win over Tottenham was such a high, and to be brought back down to this low so quickly is crushing.

While winning the Champions League was always a long shot, winning at least one knockout tie would have been positive to experience again and added extra energy and impetus into the remainder of United’s season, which is now looking like a bit of a slog, let’s be honest.